Can i use degreaser on chrome

Because you probably drive every day, more brake dust is constantly being made. Frequent cleaning is the only way to keep your wheels safe. Again, chrome is soft. Brake dust can penetrate and pit chrome wheels in no time. You have to keep them clean and protected in order to maintain their shine. We recommend cleaning the wheels before washing your vehicle. Cleaning wheels first will prevent brake dust and dirty water from splashing onto a clean car. Choosing a metal polish for chrome is interesting.

Chrome is tougher than that. Many metal polishes that can be used on aluminum or steel can also be used on chrome. The same rules do not apply. Plastic with a chrome finish should be treated like plastic, not metal. Chrome can tarnish and rust, unlike clear coated alloy, so these polishes are equipped to remove oxidation. Both will give you the consistent speed and power needed to effectively polish wheels.

Choose your tire dressing carefully. Old-fashioned tire dressings contain silicone, which produces a glossy shine but they turn brown over time. In fact, shiny silicone tire dressings can attract dirt. Pinnacle Black Onyx Tire Gel also nourishes the rubber to recreate the look of new tires. You can often layer water-based dressings to get a glossier shine.

Follow the directions on the label carefully. Always apply thin coats and allow drying time before you drive your vehicle. Avoid pooling of the dressing around raised letters and white walls. Sale Countdown.

Shop Autogeek:. We will meet or beat anyone's pricing, shipping or promo! Towel dry each wheel after cleaning to prevent water spots. Rinse wheels to remove loose dirt and brake dust.

Use a Fire Hose Nozzle to deliver a strong stream of water. Spray one wheel at a time with a chrome wheel cleaner. These cleaners are non-acidic in order to protect the wheels' finish. Whether you have clear coated or polished chrome wheels, these wheel cleaners are safe choices. Use a soft bristled wheel brush to agitate the wheel surface. The Speed Master Wheel Brush is a great choice because it can fit narrow or wide spaces and has a flexible stem. The soft, synthetic bristles loosen grime and brake dust without scratching the chrome.

This is essential since scratches are noticeable on chrome. Does it damage your wheel? I use it just spray on and clean one wheel at a time. I almost always do. It depends on the wheel finish. My personal favorite is Optimum Power Clean at about dilution. That will, however, strip whatever wheel glaze or wax you have on there but it is safe for painted wheels.

I'd stay away from Home Depot or Lowes degreasers on painted wheels. When in doubt, test a small inconspicuous spot to make sure you're not going to screw something up. A water dilutable degreaser will not be acidic, in order to dissolve grease, it has to be alkaline.

If it isn't then marketing is involved! In actual practice, such degreasers are very similar to non acid wheel cleaners so quite safe on wheels. Only thing to check is whether the degreaser has caustic sodium hydroxide.

If so, it could react with sensitive finishes in fairness, many wheel cleaners have the same hazard. Originally Posted by Mr Megane. I use Meguiar's Super Degreaser and haven't had any issues yet. Cheap and works really well. Originally Posted by Andr3wilson. An example of a caustic degreaser would be 1Z W The stuff is the most powerful I have used, but it has sodium hydroxide in it. Originally Posted by bmwgeek. I plan to try it out at dilution to clean tires and wheels.

Originally Posted by stemyx. I agree with regards to using the least aggressive product you can get away with but I should point out that wheel cleaners tend to be MORE aggressive than degreasers. You just spray them on allow them to work for a few minutes before washing off. Blue Magic Metal Polish Cream can also be used to clean headlights. Flitz Metal Polish is also commonly used in the industry. You can get a Flitz buffing ball which you can attach to your drill. Use this for larger chrome or aluminium areas such as bumpers.

You will almost certainly get polish on your plastic trim when you use the buffing ball. So use a degreaser immediately after to wash the area. Very fine steel wool can be used for extremely difficult cases. This can scratch your paint so using tape like 3M Scotch Blue will be helpful. Use very fine steel wool which is grade 00 and is used for polishing metal. You can get slightly less fine wool for more difficult cases. Many users on auto detailing discussion boards recommend using steel wool, especially on aluminum.

Steel wool might cause shiny chrome to haze up if you use too much pressure so test on a hidden area if you can. Water spots are them main cause of staining on chrome and aluminium trim. So try not to let your car dry naturally after you wash it. Use a microfiber towel to remove any excess water. Using dish soap is also said to cause aluminium and chrome to haze and oxidise.

Use good quality car shampoo which is PH balanced and try not to let the suds dry on your car. You can also apply a polymer wax to protect your entire car including paint, plastic and glass as well as metal and chrome.

One of my favorites is meguiars ultimate quik wax. Drying your car with a big plush car drying towel is the best way to prevent water spots forming after a wash. Read all about it here. Stains can easily form on chrome or aluminium trim. But there are a easy few things you can try that will definitely help. Which is safe for use on cars. Ceramic coatings are great. But they cost can cost a lot of time and money to get them applied correctly.

Preparation for a ceramic coating is key and most cars get clayed and polished before Understanding the correct way to wash your car is one of the most important skills you can learn if you want to protect its shine and keep it looking new for as long as possible. Weather you are Skip to content.